WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE? — DAY 24

A lighthearted look at some of the wonderfully unexpected things you discover when you actually read your Bible, context still matters!

“A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.”
Ecclesiastes 10:19

WAIT… MONEY IS THE ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING?!

Well then.

Apparently we’ve just discovered the Bible verse every prosperity preacher has been waiting for.

Got a problem?

MONEY.

Need an answer?

MONEY.

Something going wrong?

HAVE YOU TRIED… MONEY?

Imagine finding this verse completely by itself:

BIBLICAL FINANCIAL ADVICE

Problem

Money

Problem solved

Modern Bible reader:

“Solomon… I feel like we’re going to need some context here.”

And Ecclesiastes replies:

“PLEASE READ THE REST OF THE BOOK.”

Because…

CONTEXT REALLY MATTERS WITH THIS ONE!

Ecclesiastes is NOT teaching that money can solve every problem in life.

The writer spends much of the book examining life “under the sun” observing how the world works when viewed from an earthly perspective.

And practically speaking, money does answer many material needs.

Food costs money.

Celebrations cost money.

Buildings cost money.

Daily life requires resources.

But Ecclesiastes repeatedly shows us something much bigger:

Money cannot give life its ultimate meaning.

You can have wealth.

Pleasure.

Possessions.

Success.

And still discover that none of them can satisfy the deepest needs of the human heart.

In fact, Ecclesiastes has already warned:

“Whoever loves money never has enough.” Ecclesiastes 5:10

So no…

Ecclesiastes 10:19 is probably NOT permission to put:

“MONEY IS THE ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING THE BIBLE”

on your next financial vision board.

But still…

You have to feel for the person who opens their Bible randomly, reads:

“MONEY IS THE ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING.”

closes it…

and thinks:

“Well, that was unexpectedly straightforward.”

Meanwhile Ecclesiastes:

“COME BACK! THERE ARE ELEVEN MORE CHAPTERS OF THIS!”

Sometimes one verse makes you say:

“WAIT… THAT’S IN THE BIBLE?!”

And the rest of the book reminds you:

CONTEXT STILL MATTERS!